


Her Anchor

by foxstiles



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Anchors, F/M, Light Angst, Protective Malia, season six au, some season six rewrites, some spoilers for the season 6 winter finale, sorry jeff davis but i'm fixing some mistakes you made, stiles is malia tate's anchor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-02
Updated: 2017-02-02
Packaged: 2018-09-21 12:56:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9550148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/foxstiles/pseuds/foxstiles
Summary: Malia’s fingers curled and her claws bit into the palm of her hand viciously as she struggled to control her emotions. It was near impossible when she was so close to the one she had missed desperately and needed more than words.I would never leave you behind.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't really watch much of season six but I saw enough and needless to say I thought a bit of a rewrite was in order. So this is a small attempt to fix a few things from that winter finale.
> 
> Needless to say there are some spoilers but for the most part I took bits and pieces to create an AU so you might recognize a few things from the winter finale. However the majority of this fic is very much me fixing a few things.
> 
> Warning for potential spoilers.

The light was near blinding as it pulsed, the heat and power coming off of it almost causing her to shudder, as Malia waited to see his familiar silhouette. A shape she knew almost as well as her own.

Her anchor.

Her best friend.

Her brilliant, funny human.

Stiles.

The words from earlier still burned where they had seared her throat upon uttering them. They had tasted of ash, a blatant lie that seemed necessary, but Malia would do _anything_ to see Stiles returned and if it had been lying about what she’d seen then it was a small price.

Malia wasn’t even going to touch upon Scott’s words. The sick feeling in her gut reminded her of them and she gritted her teeth in frustration. It hurt. It hurt and burned and ached that what she felt, what they had, was so easily ignored and cast aside as though it was nothing when it was _everything_.

She hated how Lydia leaned forward, how she could taste the banshee’s hope in the air, as the light pulsed and Lydia claimed to see him.

Claimed to see Stiles.

Malia’s fingers curled and her claws bit into the palm of her hand viciously as she struggled to control her emotions. It was near impossible when she was so close to the one she had missed desperately and needed more than words.

 _I would never leave you behind_.

The words echoed in her head, the promise and truth warming her, as the light faded. Tears burned her eyes at the sight of Stiles alive and safe.

Without hesitation Stiles threw himself at the first person he seemed to lay eyes on as he dragged Lydia in for a tight hug. She could hear his heart pounding wildly in his chest, a bit like a frightened rabbit, as his scent started to fill the air. Malia waited, pained and raw and emotionally vulnerable, for a tearful reunion that, after Lydia’s words revealing her feelings, would no doubt end in a kiss that would destroy her completely.

But Stiles pulled away and dragged Scott in for an even tighter hug. She could smell the raw, tangible emotion coming off of him as he clutched at Scott and shoved his face against him.

Their words were filled with choked emotion and she could hear how Scott’s heart settled, calm and sure, as he held his best friend safe in his arms. Malia could understand the feeling even as she stood rooted to the spot.

Instinct warred inside of her but she was unable to pull her eyes from the sight of Stiles before her. There was an insane fear that if she looked away for a second he’d be gone and she would _never_ get him back.

Her breath shuddered in her chest, her own heart hammering behind her ribcage, as Stiles breathed out how much he’d missed Scott and then those eyes, honey brown and full of so much, locked onto her.

Everything stopped.

It was ridiculous how the ground, which had seemed shaky and impossible to maintain her footing on for months, seemed to settle and something _right_ snapped into place inside of her.

Malia felt anchored.

She felt blissfully, perfectly in control and every last bit of uncertainty that had plagued her for months vanished as Stiles pulled away from Scott. His eyes never left hers as he stepped forward, a smile on his lips and happiness in his scent.

Love bloomed and burst in her chest in an uncontrollable wave she was sure she would drown in. It was like coming home and being wrapped safe. Instinct called him mate and hers even though her human side painfully reminded her of Lydia.

Then it was her turn to be swept up in his embrace, warm and right and _safe_ , as she breathed in and sighed out what might have been a half-sob, half-incredulous laugh at having him here again.

Stiles was _back_ and he was safe, alive and in one piece, and holding her like he would never let her go again. Malia’s eyes closed and her grip tightened as she physically anchored herself with him.

The familiar line of his body fit so perfectly against hers and she didn’t want to let go. She didn’t want to release him so he could turn to Lydia and the one person who was _hers_ would be lost.

She wanted to be selfish. In the animal kingdom she could simply kill her rival, she could fight and kill for her mate, but here in the human world there were rules and society expected her to follow them.

Stiles had worked so hard to help her integrate back into the world and she couldn’t throw all of that away. She had come so far for herself and Malia was proud of that progress.

“Mal.” She heard him breathe out in relief and she grinned ridiculously against him as he gripped her even tighter.

“I thought you had left.” She breathed out in a choked voice and horror filled her at how close she was to tears. So close to losing it and Malia scrambled for control, fought and snarled for it, as she steadied her breathing.

Stiles’s next words had her swallowing around the lump that formed in her throat. “I told you I would never leave you behind.”

Tears spilled down her cheeks as she pulled back and Malia opened her eyes to see nothing but _love_ and _happiness_ reflected at her. “I knew you would come back.” Because it was their thing and silently she realized Stiles wasn’t stepping back.

He had never stopped touching her from the moment he’d stepped right into her space and he only had eyes for _her_.

Malia held herself still, waiting and hoping desperately, as a hand came up to cup the back of her head and then his warm lips were pressed against hers. Something broke inside of her and in the next instant settled into place perfectly whole.

Stiles tasted the same but this was different. There was the same kind of desperation she felt in his kiss, in his touch and the warmth of his body, as their lips moved together and Malia pressed even more into the kiss.

 _Her_.

Somehow, someway, Stiles had chosen _her_. He hadn’t gone to Lydia, he hadn’t turned away from her, but instead he had come back to her and Malia never wanted to let him go.

She never wanted to leave him. She would _never_ leave without Stiles.

Her anchor.

Her mate.

Her Stiles.

They broke for air and Malia could see over his shoulder the brokenhearted look on Lydia’s face. Some distant part of her felt awful for her friend but another part, the part that had loved Stiles first and had seen Stiles in such a way first, felt settled and right.

It had been Stiles choice and she had been willing to step aside for his happiness because she loved him enough to know that if it wasn’t her that he needed it would be selfish of her to stand in his way.

_If you love something set it free. If it comes back it’s yours. If not, it was never meant to be._

The words came back to her as they stood there staring at each other, both grinning and relieved, while Malia listened to the steady thump of Stiles’s heart. It had calmed, a little faster than the average human, but for Stiles it was calm and peaceful.

Stiles stepped to the side but his hand slid down and his fingers interlocked with her own as he held her hand. It was almost as though he were anchoring himself to her and Malia’s instincts settled.

“I missed all of you.” He breathed out at last and Malia leaned subtly against his side, basking in having every last memory of Stiles back along with Stiles himself. Those lost memories had left a gaping hole inside of her and now all of the missing pieces were back.

Her fingers tightened where they were wrapped around his and before them Lydia’s expression morphed from heartbroken to something else. A bit of a mask though her scent gave her away and Malia looked away to give her privacy in that moment.

“What were you going to tell me that night?” Scott broke the silence and Malia watched as Stiles blinked before turning to regard Scott. She couldn’t figure out what Scott was talking about. “When we separated at the school…before you were taken?”

Stiles breathed out shakily and Malia felt his hand shake slightly. She lightly bumped against him, offering support, as Stiles settled. “That I love you. I just felt that I needed to tell everyone how much they meant to me because I knew something was going wrong. I just…I needed to say it. I needed you to know.”

Realization slammed into Malia as she suddenly understood Stiles pressing Lydia to remember, telling her that he loved her, and she knew that had she not lost the memories of Stiles he would have given her the same words had she found him.

“I love you too, man.” Scott grinned suddenly and Malia didn’t move as Scott and Lydia moved closer to them. Things were settling. A missing piece had finally slotted back into place in their pack and Malia felt relief.

They could do this.

They could survive this now that Stiles was back.

Everything was going to be OK and Beacon Hills would be free of the Ghost Riders soon enough. Everyone would be back and they could move past this nightmare. She was looking forward to something resembling peace now that Stiles was back.

* * *

Malia watched as Stiles crossed the stage dressed in his graduation gown to get his diploma while the announcer tried to say his full name, stumbled and butchered it, before she stepped over to him.

“Just call him Stiles.” Her voice came over the speaker, unintentional but more than obvious, and it had quite a few people laughing as Stiles looked back with his lips quirked in amusement.

“ _Stiles_ Stilinski.”

There were applause and whistles from his friends and family. And underneath the loud noise she could hear Stiles’s Dad, louder than all of them, crowing _that’s my boy_ with a voice full of pride and love.

She watched Stiles take his diploma, shake hands and smile for the camera stationed to take photos. Then he was walking to his seat and Malia was crossing the stage, ignoring the sound of her own name announced, and instead listening to those she cared about yelling.

Everyone she had somehow gained since being found in the woods, happy and proud of her accomplishment, as each step took her across the stage.

It seemed impossible that after years of being a coyote in the woods, lost and terrified of going back to being a human, that she would somehow manage to graduate on time and not only that but get into a university.

A university near where Stiles had been accepted.

_I would never leave without you._

_I would never leave you behind._

She watched as the camera pointed at her, snapped the photo and she headed back to her seat where everyone waited. Malia gladly allowed herself to be pulled in for a tight hug, accepted the pleased kiss on her cheek from Stiles and grinned in triumph.

Catching sight of Theo, diploma resting loosely in his hand with an arched brow, didn’t diminish a moment of her own happiness. Instead she offered him a nod and turned back to those that mattered.

As long as Theo didn’t hurt someone she cared about Malia wasn’t going to bother with the chimera. He had stepped up when they had needed him, had saved Liam and even Stiles at one point, and she had more important things to focus on.

“Dad said he was going to take us out after graduation. He said he’d say something to yours as well.”

Both of her Dads.

What a joy that was going to be. Malia winced mentally at that even though she knew nothing had been said about who exactly Peter Hale was to her. Some things were best kept within the pack and away from unsuspecting humans.

“Both of them?”

Stiles’s eyes were practically laughing at her and Malia offered a low growl at him that had Stiles raising his hands in mock surrender. “Whoa there, Mal.” His lips twitched before he answered, “And yeah. Peter will behave himself. He’s been doing a good job of it since the Ghost Riders. I know you’re giving him a chance.”

Peter was doing a _decent_ job more like it.

“How about we skip eating.” They had settled in their chairs, shoulders pressed together, as their classmates continued to receive their diplomas. “Or we—”

“It won’t be that bad. Pizza. Celebrating. Family. No death.” She could hear Scott laughing from the side and Theo asking under his breath _how_ _fucking long is this going to take_ as the ceremony continued. Silently she wondered as well. “It’ll be fun.”

She sighed, “Fine.” It was harder to argue with him on little things after knowing what it was like to have him taken away. “Is everyone coming or just our families?”

“Everyone.” Stiles glanced over at Theo, “ _Everyone_.” He reiterated at Theo met his eyes and Malia wondered at that friendship as she often found herself. It was full of sarcasm, threats and far too much unsubtle threatening that somehow worked once Theo stopped trying to destroy the pack.

The only reason she didn’t rip Theo’s throat out for it was because she’d noted the chimera seemed far more interested in Stiles’s survival and he still hadn’t crossed the invisible line she’d drawn in the sand.

It might also have something to do with him being part coyote but she wasn’t going back down that mental path.

“Fine.” She managed again though she allowed a hint of exasperation into her tone.

Stiles grinned at her and pressed their shoulders together even more, “Thanks.” Another kiss to her cheek and Malia turned her head so their lips pressed together. She lost herself in the kiss until someone cleared their throat and the two of them broke apart. “Hear that, Peter?” no doubt Peter _was_ listening, “You’re going to have to rein in the sass and murder for lunch. I have _some faith_ that you’ll be able to behave.”

“ _Stiles_.” She hissed out when Peter’s laugh reached her ears and several of their classmates were staring at them clearly trying to figure out what Stiles had been talking about.

“What? We have an understanding and I’ve said worse.” Stiles shrugged, “If he was going to rip my throat out it would have been years ago.”

“ _Don’t tempt me._ ” Peter almost cheerfully responded and Malia sighed. Lunch was going to be interesting to say the least.

The rest was a bore until they finally got to toss their caps, everyone cheering and celebrating, and Malia couldn’t resist catching their caps as bodies surged around them. Stiles was grinning ear to ear as Scott threw his arms around him, yanking him in for a hug, while crowing that they’d done it.

Then they were weaving through the throng of bodies towards their family.

Stiles’s fingers were curled around her wrist as she easily followed him along with her cap clutched in her other hand. They finally broke through the bodies and Stiles’s Dad was the first to them.

Swept up in a hug full of warmth, love and family Malia found herself grinning ridiculously as she was surrounded by Stilinskis on both sides. They pulled apart and she watched as Stiles was dragged back in for another hug by his Dad.

“I’m so proud of you.” The flush of pride and happiness was more than obvious on the Sheriff’s face and Malia watched them as Stiles gripped him back. She was so glad they had each other again. Malia hadn’t seen the initial reunion but she had seen the one after the Ghost Riders had gone. “I love you, son.”

“Love you too, Dad.”

She was pulled into another hug when her Dad showed up, whispering words of pride and happiness into her hair, before she was released and standing next to them waiting for the rest of them to find them.

Classmates around them were getting their own hugs, congratulations and taking pictures as they turned at the sound of Melissa calling out to their group.

“Pictures. Come on kids, I want pictures of all of you in your gowns now that you’re officially high school graduates.” Melissa waved her camera and Malia wanted to laugh at the sight of the special lens to prevent flares.

That was how Malia found herself tugged against Stiles’s side, his arm curled around her, with Scott on Stiles other side along with Lydia for a picture of the new graduates. The smile she turned towards the camera couldn’t have possibly shown a fraction of her happiness.

* * *

“You two have everything?” Sheriff Stilinski asked as he looked over the Jeep, eyes flicking over it as though looking for problems, before focusing back on them.

Stiles slammed the back of the Jeep shut and moved around the front where Malia was standing with the Sheriff. “Everything that I could fit. Guess we’ll have to come back to visit for anything I left or maybe to check up on you.” The tone was teasing and light even though Malia _knew_ Stiles was desperately going to miss his Dad.

He had experienced a minor freak out at the thought of leaving his Dad behind in Beacon Hills while he was across the country in D.C. and she had curled her arms around him while he calmed.

Malia glanced dubiously at the thing attached to Stiles’s Jeep that held the rest of their stuff for their apartment. The rest, the bigger things, had been gifted to them by Peter when she’d told him about moving.

“Do you have your pillow?”

“ _Dad_.” Stiles was wrapped up in a tight hug without another word uttered and Malia watched as his fingers curled in the back of his Dad’s shirt, clutching and gripping, as he rested his chin on his Dad’s shoulder. She could practically taste the salt from unshed tears and glanced away. They had already done this with her own parent… _parents_.

They broke apart and Malia let herself get dragged in for a hug from the Sheriff. She breathed in his familiar scent, hints of Stiles there and hints of _home_ , before pulling back and smiling at him.

“You two take care of yourselves.” She ignored the tears in his eyes and offered what she hoped was a reassuring look murmuring _of course_ as Stiles hovered there clearly fighting against another hug.

Wordlessly Malia reached out, pressed her hand to the small of Stiles’s back and pushed him back towards his Dad. This hug was longer, full of just as much emotion as the others and when they broke apart once more she knew that Stiles had needed one more.

“I love you, Dad. I’m going to miss you.” Stiles’s voice was a bit rough but she watched him push it aside and give a cheeky grin, “If you need someone to consult on a case you know my number. I’ll need to put some of that FBI training to good use.”

Just like that the Sheriff was rolling his eyes with a good-humored laugh and shoving at Stiles who didn’t bother stepping out of the way. “I love you too. It’s going to be quiet without you causing mischief.”

The word had a different meaning and Malia watched how Stiles’s eyes lit at the word. Stiles was the embodiment of mischief.

“You take care as well, Malia, he’s a handful. Make sure he doesn’t get arrested.”

Malia ignored Stiles’ indignant _hey!_ as she focused on the Sheriff. “I don’t mind it.” The words earned another cheeky grin and Malia offered a smirk in response.

They moved around the Jeep, duct tape free for the first time in years and gloriously fixed after she had made a comment to Peter about driving across country in it, and as Malia slipped into the passenger seat she watched Stiles dart in for another quick hug before joining her inside.

“Guess we’re good to go.” The Jeep roared to life, practically purring now instead of choking as it had, before they started backing out of the driveway. They had already said goodbye to everyone earlier, collected her things from her Dad, visited Peter and now, after seeing the Sheriff, there was nothing left.

No one to say goodbye to.

No new supernatural disaster to hold them back.

Nothing but a long road-trip across country that they had planned weeks ago.

Malia relaxed back into the seat, sighing and relaxing, as Stiles easily navigated the roads of Beacon Hills. She watched familiar sights pass by the window as they headed out of town and it wasn’t until she felt a hand curl around her own resting on the seat that Malia looked over.

Stiles was driving onehanded, eyes on the road and a relaxed little grin tugged at his lips, as his warm hand remained wrapped around her own. Her anchor. The first person she had connected with in a long time and the only one she truly _needed_.

Suddenly she needed to tell him something from when he was gone. They hadn’t really talked about it, at least hadn’t gone into the details, but she needed to say this before they left the city limits.

“Peter wanted me to leave.” She admitted after a beat of silence between them. Stiles’s fingers twitched letting her know he was listening , “He wanted me to get out of Beacon Hills but I couldn’t.” it was easier to admit things to Stiles.

Stiles who had always been there. She hadn’t even realized, not completely, how much he had been there for her when the others in their pack had been elsewhere. It wasn’t until he was gone, until the impact he’d had on her life was removed, that Malia had realized.

_Guess that saying about never knowing what you had until it’s gone was true._

“I still didn’t really remember you. I knew I was missing something, I knew you were important but I didn’t have all of the pieces.” It was painful to admit that she had forgotten Stiles of all people but she hadn’t wanted to believe she could have lost another person and it was easier to think Stiles wasn’t real than to face the reality of her loss. “But I knew I couldn’t leave without you. I could never leave without you.”

The Jeep rolled to a stop and Stiles looked over at her. “And I would never leave you behind.” He promised before continuing. “I heard you first, you know,” Stiles admitted softly, “Before I crossed the rift. I heard you and then I saw my Dad but I heard you first and then Lydia was calling out to me.”

Her heart was pounding.

“Do you…do you love Lydia?” she asked. Malia hated herself for asking but she had to. She needed to know about that connection. “It wasn’t until she remembered that the rift opened.”

Stiles frowned slightly before answering, “From what I heard first my Dad remembered me completely which initially opened it. I think each of you needed to remember me before it could open. Each of you weakened it and then I was able to come back. Deaton said that it took a lot of belief and powerful emotional connections to break through.”

“But Lydia…”

“I do love Lydia.” He finally answered and her heart stopped, “But I love Scott too. I love both of them but I’m not _in love_ with Lydia. I’m in love with you, Mal. I love _you_.”

The words had warmth curling inside of her and Malia didn’t care about holding back. She reached out and pulled him in for a kiss. Everything she needed to say but currently couldn’t form the words to say was put into that kiss.

 _Stiles_ _loved **her**_.

Their foreheads pressed together when they broke for air and Malia knew her eyes were glowing because her hold on her control was tenuous at best. Instinct more often than not drove her when she wasn’t trying desperately to be completely human but this required human words. “I love you,” it had taken forever to get this part right but Malia had needed to make sure she could say it, “Mieczysław.”

Stiles jerked, eyes wide and mouth dropped open in surprise, as Malia grinned at him and took in the shocked scent coming off him in waves.

“Did I say it right?”

“You…you…why? Why would you say that name?” he sounded so horrified and Malia laughed. “Oh my God, Mal, _why_?”

She grinned, bright and happy, as Stiles sputtered and stared at her with that same horrified look. “Did I say it right?” she pressed with a hint of laughter in her voice.

“Somehow.” He muttered and his nose scrunched up, “How did you find out? I never said it and that guy at graduation couldn’t say it. Where did you even hear it let alone how to actually say it?”

“Your Dad, when he remembered you, came in and told us.” She remembered asking him several times to repeat Stiles’s given name until she could say it right because it was important to her, “He told us your name and said you couldn’t pronounce it but you could say mischief.”

Stiles shook his head, “I can’t believe you could actually pronounce it.” Then his lips quirked, “I think you’re one of the only ones. Poor Scott butchered it when he first tried. Mischief was easier.”

The admission had pleasure filling her. “ _Good_.” she settled back into her seat and watched him staring at her with a hint of wonder. She loved surprising him and while she still struggled with some things she had said his name right.

Stiles released a noise that sounded like a snort of amusement and shortly after that the Jeep rolled through the stop sign as Stiles focused back on the road. They drove in companionable silence until fifteen minutes later Malia read the approaching sign with a hint of satisfaction. She had left but it wasn’t without Stiles.

_You are now leaving Beacon Hills_

**Author's Note:**

> And that was my very first attempt at Stalia. I hope someone liked my little AU world. I skipped over a few things, changed quite a bit around and I'm, overall, pleased with what I came up with. Also there was no way in Hell I was having Stiles give up the Jeep (or Malia).


End file.
